I assume you're talking about the plastic whatever-composite stick right? I don't know of any other sticks produced by cold steel but they make a lot of stuff and I want to say I've seen a cold steel rattan stick but i'm not sure.

I've read about the composite sticks breaking do to air bubbles. Do you see an air bubble anywhere along the break? I've got one pf the composite cold steel sticks myself but I never use it. I don't like the feel, to me there is too much give or something. It doesn't feel like rattan when you hit a target.

When I was new to FMA I snapped a kamagong wood stick on a tire. My teacher said something about being to stiff with technique or something. I figure the stick just had an imperfection or was old. All I know is all I hit targets with is rattan, wood can break and splinter and i've heard the rumors about the composite cold steel sticks.

This topic does raise the question of what kind of stick is best for self defense? I'd guess heavy rattan will do fine, of course it depends on what your goal is. I suppose a hard wood stick would be best to kill an attacker, but then I've snapped one over a tire. I'd hate to snap a stick over someones head only to have the next guy waiting to kill me and I'm stuck with a broken weapon. Perhaps this topic is best for another thread.

I'd hate to snap a stick over someones head only to have the next guy waiting to kill me and I'm stuck with a broken weapon. Perhaps this topic is best for another thread.

What? Serious? Stab them with the jaged stick! If they're still trying to kill you even when you've got draculas worst nightmare in your hand you probably NEED to stab them at that point.

As for Cold Steel, if it's one of their composit sticks that shouldn't have happened. Not from hitting something soft anyways. Probably a manufacturing defect. Get in touch with them, If they have any class they'll send you a replacement.

As for types of wood. Rattan has it's advantages for training but they mosty have to do with safety. Rattan shreds but does not "splinter". The shreds themselves are fibrous and relatively soft, unlike bamboo which shreds but will cut you. Rattan is relatively light, i.e. less mass = softer impact. It is durable and has a decent lifespan. (Even shreded sticks can be taped up and re-used.)

When it come to breaking heads, the most popular material among the folks I've partied with is Kamagong or other similarly tough hard wood.

If you REALLY want to do damage there's nothing wrong with a steel pipe.

You should definitely talk to Cold Steel about replacing your stick though. If it can't do the tire thing it's really not up to snuff for practicing FMA. (The tire thing being an ubiquitous tradition)

What? Serious? Stab them with the jaged stick! If they're still trying to kill you even when you've got draculas worst nightmare in your hand you probably NEED to stab them at that point.

As for Cold Steel, if it's one of their composit sticks that shouldn't have happened. Not from hitting something soft anyways. Probably a manufacturing defect. Get in touch with them, If they have any class they'll send you a replacement.

As for types of wood. Rattan has it's advantages for training but they mosty have to do with safety. Rattan shreds but does not "splinter". The shreds themselves are fibrous and relatively soft, unlike bamboo which shreds but will cut you. Rattan is relatively light, i.e. less mass = softer impact. It is durable and has a decent lifespan. (Even shreded sticks can be taped up and re-used.)

When it come to breaking heads, the most popular material among the folks I've partied with is Kamagong or other similarly tough hard wood.

If you REALLY want to do damage there's mothing wrong with a steel pipe.

You should definitely talk to Cold Steel about replacing your stick though. If it can't do the tire thing it's really not up to snuff for practicing FMA. (The tire thing being an ubiquitous tradition)

Ha ha yes stabbing with the broken stick is always an option. I'd rather have a weapon that is predictable though, but you've got a good point make the best of the situation. I'm still hesitant to trust a kamagong stick because I've broken one over a tire, they seem to be hard but is it possible that they are also brittle (relatively speaking?) I honestly don't know. One of the Garimot guys I train with uses a kamagong stick covered with tape and it's like hell going up against that stick with rattan, it seems to hold up fine.

Yep, there were bubbles in the break, although they are pretty tiny. I wonder if I can get a refund? I better leave out the part where I was smacking a tree...

Smacking a mere tree? What kind of tree are we taking here? A pine or a mighty oak? I can't remember if my cold steel stick came with any disclaimers. Either way this isn't looking good for the cold steel stick. Hopefully they just give you a new stick and maintain the brand which seems to be a solid one from what I know. Anyone else have any comments on other cold steel products, experience with warranty issues? I like the idea behind a stick that will last a very long time. As long as no one is purposely trying to damage a stick cold steel should at least give a new product for one that was damaged during regular use.

Please let us know how this plays out if you contact the company, and I would encourage you to do so. At this point you represent their target consumer. It'd be great if they just refunded a relatively new stick that broke under routine use. If that were the case i'd recommend them to any FMA enthusiast that was looking for a sure bet on a long lasting stick. Of course, if the stick breaks under regular use and the company won't refund why not just go with rattan? You know when a rattan stick is about to go, and based on how hard you use it you know what to expect. The only advantage of paying more for a composite stick is the hope that it will last longer. WHat do you guys thing is a fair amount of time for a rattan stick to last? How long would you expect a composite stick to last for it to be worth the money?

I would agree with an earlier comment, if your hitting something hard or rubber use rattan. Hard woods like Kamagong do tend to break and splinter. I still bear a long scar across my palm where my first komagong broke. If you want a really solid stick I would look at Bahi. Bahi is the heart wood from the palm tree, its genitically related to rattan. Its fibrous like rattan and I have yet to break one.
I would avoid any type of partner drill or sinawalli with hard woods or bahi...
To quote my teacher "Bahi has only two purposes, solo training and killing"

If you want a synthetic stick, try one inch nylon rod. It will be more expensive than the CS sticks, but you will only buy it once. Kamagong can get brittle when it dries out, so if you live in a dry environment like I do, you probably want to look at other options.
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